Tears and laughter.

that police officer who was so brutally slaughtered was also a Muslim - perfect toon.

And if are going to claim that Islam is a religion of peace, before they begin blaming the victims -- amazingly which some folks here on DU are already beginning to do -- consider that Charlie Hebda was trying to illustrate precisely this Islamic trait, that they respond to insult with violence.

The extent to the fact that this keeps happening is the extent that I would label Islam as decidedly not a religion of peace.

Islam owns these events. Regrettably, so does humankind.

Stop it! Cartoons do not deserve death.

even out here in the desert southwest. I've worked with people from all over the planet, many of them Muslims of varying degrees of devoutness. None of them has had the least bit of sympathy with any of the radicals, not even when the horrors of Stupid's war were coming out, probably because we were horrified and outraged right along with them.

I can't issue a blanket condemnation of Islam because violent assholes persist in misinterpreting the Quran for their own purposes just like I can't issue a blanket condemnation of Christianity because of violent assholes in the Army of God and the pedophiles in the FLDS and Roman Catholic priesthood. Condemnation belongs to the perpetrators and they belong in cages until they are old and toothless and no longer a threat.

How about then?

Just consider that. Especially as well as how they act when there is no government (Iraq, Syria, etc.).

Islam can claim to be peaceful when they stop their violence. Until then, they have zero such claim.

I stand by my post.

wherever and whenever they have existed.

Those were ALL Christian kings and queens and popes, and the things they did in the name of the Prince of Peace will curdle your stomach.

Skip the equally bloody 20th Century, because for the most part they stopped doing it in the name of God. Go back in time, back beyond 1800, back as far as you want, and there is no century that is not drenched in the blood of innocent women accused of witchcraft, innocent Christians accused of heresy, innocent Jews accused of poisoning wells, causing the Black Death, and using the blood of Christian children to moisten the matzah meal at Passover.

And when that did not suffice, those good Christian kings and popes led their people out to slaughter the Muslims, even in lands that had long been at peace. When they "took back" Jerusalem, hardly a resident was left alive.

Don't forget to have a look at the instruments of Christian torture while you are at it.

Historically and culturally, there are no clean hands on this Earth. I exempt no one of any race.

You say "how Islam acts when they have the reins of a government...Especially as well as how they act where there is no government". It doesn't matter whether or not there is a government because "Islam" acts violent either way?

What about Turkey?

Yet most around the world condemn these actions? "I would label Islam as decidedly not a religion of peace. " Thank you for making your prejudice so clear. It helps us understand you better.

However, the fact that Islam has a real problem with violence is inescapable.

The deal is... With the current situation who knows how best to deal with it?

I think that this is something that Muslims have to handle internally (at least mostly). Either that, or there is likely to be escalation. That won't serve anybody any good.

Frankly, if I were in power, I have no idea how I would handle it other than to make it clear that violence is inexcusable.

Regards.

(besides the increase in lampooning the religious nuts) is introducing us to some of the French cartoonists, here and on outsider art sites.

There are two things that will defeat religious radicals: one is love; the other is laughter.